Stars Club News

January 8 - Stars Club Kicks Off 2010 with "Stars Over Springfield"
The Stars Club and the Springfield Science Museum held the January "Stars Over Springfield" program tonight. It was the club's first event of the new year and despite cloudy skies about thirty people attended. Paul Cardone presented "Spaceflight During the First Decade of the Twenty-first Century," a look back at some of the highlights of the last decade. Afterwards, visitors gathered in the Seymour Planetarium for a program by Jack Megas, and the evening concluded in the Science Museum's rooftop observatory where Mike Kozicki talked about the history of the twenty-inch telescope. The next "Stars Over Springfield" program will be held on Friday, February 5th. Tonight's event also marked the club's temporary return to the Tolman Auditorium, which has been undergoing renovations to make it part of Dinosaur Hall.


Visitors gather in the Tolman Auditorium for the program




Paul Cardone talks about spaceflight during the first decade of the twenty-first century




Paul shows one of the photos in his presentation



December 23 - NOTE: Special Date for January "Stars Over Springfield"
The January "Stars Over Springfield" will be held on the second Friday of the month, January 8, 2010, rather than the first Friday of the month due to a conflict with New Year's Day.

December 5 - NOTE: Special Location for December Club Meeting
The December meeting of the Stars Club will NOT be held at the Springfield Science Museum. THe meeting will take place on its regular date, December 22nd, at the Lido Ristorante, 555 Worthington Street in Springfield, beginning at 6:30pm. All members are encouraged to give a brief, ten-minute presentation on a topic related to astronomy. Regular meetings at the Science Museum will resume in January.

December 4 - Final "Stars Over Springfield"of 2009 Tonight
The final "Stars Over Springfield" of 2009 will be held this evening. Former club preseident Jack Megas will speak, followed by observations of Jupiter if skies are clear. The next "Stars Over Springfield" will be held on January 8, 2010.

November 17 - Stars Club Holds 75th Anniversary Dinner
The Stars Club held its 75th anniversary dinner at the Student Prince in Springfield this evening. The event marked the end of a year-long celebration of the club's history. At the dinner club president Alan Rifkin unveiled a proclamation by the Massachusetts House of Representatives congratulating the Stars Club on reaching the milestone.


Members of the Stars Club dine at the Student Prince




Three past Stars Club presidents - from left, Dave Gallup, Mike Lieb and Jack Megas




Members enjoying the evening




The entire group gathered together after dinner




Club president Alan Rifkin holds a proclamation by the Massachusetts House of Representatives recognizing the occasion of the club's 75th anniversary



November 6 - Participants View Jupiter at November "Stars Over Springfield"
The November "Stars Over Springfield" program was held tonight and was well-attended. Visitors were treated to a presentation by Richard Sanderson in the Science Museum's Seymour Planetarium and views of Jupiter and its moons through the 20-inch telescope. The next "Stars Over Springfield" program will be held on Friday, December 4 at 7:30pm.


Visitors await the start of the program in the Museum's Science Workshop




Richard Sanderson speaks to the audience




Visitors gather in the Seymour Planetarium




Jupiter over the Springfield skyline as seen from inside the observatory




Jupiter and two of its moons as seen through the 20-inch telescope



October 27 - Professor James van Luik Speaks to Stars Club
The Stars Club held its October meeting tonight, featuring special guest speaker James van Luik. Professor van Luik spoke about "Cosmic Theories of Everything," a look at how science is attempting to explain the Universe. About forty people attended tonight's meeting. Stars Club president Alan Rifkin announced that the December club meeting will be moved off-site and a movie has been selected for the November meeting. Details of these announcements will appear here on the club website in the weeks ahead.


Club president Alan Rifkin opens the meeting




Professor James van Luik speaks to the club



October 2 - October "Stars Over Springfield" Draws Well Despite Cloudy Skies
The October "Stars Over Springfield" program was held tonight and despite cloudy skies about forty people attended, including students in an astronomy class at Cambridge College. Visitors were treated to a presentation by Ed Faits and a planetarium show by Richard Sanderson. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to view the Science Museum's twenty-inch telescope and learn about its construction. The next "Stars Over Springfield" program will be held on Friday, November 6 at 7:30pm.


Stars Club volunteer Joan Presz outside the Science Workshop




Ed Faits presents his program in the Science Workshop




Visitors gather in the Seymour Planetarium for Richard Sanderson's show



September 22 - Stars Club Begins New Season in a New Home
The Stars Club held its September meeting tonight, the first in the Science Workshop at the Springfield Science Museum. The Tolman Auditorium, where the club had held meetings for many years, is being renovated to become part of Dinosaur Hall. Tonight's meeting featured a great presentation by Kevin Collins on his trip to Florida for the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis last May. Kevin took us on a virtual tour of the launch facility and the Kennedy Space Center. He concluded by showing the photos he captured of the launch, the final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.


The Stars Club's new home at the Springfield Science Museum, in the Science Workshop




Club president Alan Rifkin opens the Stars Club's new season




A view of the launch area at the Kennedy Space Center, with shuttles Atlantis in the foreground and Endeavour




Kevin's photo of the launch of Atlantis




Atlantis is spacebound for the Hubble Space Telescope



September 19 - Stars Club Set to Begin Its 76th Season
The 2009-2010 club season, our 76th, begins this Tuesday night at the Springfield Science Museum. Kevin Collins of the 5A's will speak about his trip to Florida in May to see the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. This was the last servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. If you come to the meeting, please note that the Tolman Auditorium, where the club normally meets, is being renovated and we will be meeting in the Science Workshop, just outside the entrance to the Seymour Planetarium.

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